The OC Lexy is the intellectual property of lexboss and was incorporated at her request. Also I don't own Gumball or anything else in these stories. As I mentioned last time, my posts will be spaced out a bit to give me a bit of a chance to take a breather between chapters. I know there are a couple of time gaps, but I'm sure if you consider it a bit you'll realize that I needed to keep the tempo up to maintain tension.

Gumball woke up exhausted. The house was quiet as he dragged himself to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and tried to find the highest calorie thing he could. Cheese – no. Bacon – no. Sluzzle worst… It was only a few slices, but that should replace the calories he'd burned.

Grabbing the film-wrapped plate, he ripped the top and nuked it. He was watching it so carefully, he jumped three feet at the sound of Penny's voice.

"Makes you that hungry?" She said. Gumball could almost hear the smirk in her voice.

"Jeez, Penny. You almost gave me a heart attack." Gumball chided her, removing his "meal" from the microwave.

Crossing the kitchen, she took the plate from him. "If I almost did, this will." With that, Penny dumped it in the trash and pointed to the lone stool in the kitchen. "Sit." She directed him and busied herself around the kitchen, gathering pans, eggs, bacon, sausage, bread and butter.

Gumball smiled ruefully and did as he was told. "You better hope Dad doesn't find out you did that." Gumball chuckled as she shot him a look. "I'm serious. He worships that stuff."

Penny stopped a moment. "Then I guess it's a good thing he isn't here, right Gumball?" she asked pointedly, one pan in her hand raised and a playful glint in her eye.

Stifling a smile, Gumball rendered a mock salute. "Yes ma'am." He answered smartly and nearly choked when she nodded with a satisfied look and continued her activities. Leaning against the counter he took a moment to appreciate Penny's figure as she moved about the kitchen. His mirth was short lived however as started to look for Carrie.

A wave of guilt washed over him as he recalled Carrie plight and was immediately engulfed by a fresh wave of guilt at having forgotten. "Where is Carrie?"

He was headed for the door to look for her when Penny's arms around him stopped him. "Carrie is sleeping. After what you two managed, I think she deserves to rest."

"What did happen anyway?" Gumball asked. "I remember Carrie… hugging me, then things get sort of blurry. All I know is that wasn't the plan." He said pointedly.

Penny laughed. "You missed a real show, then. I don't know the full story, but you want a guess?" Penny raised an eyebrow at Gumball's attempt at a stern expression until he finally nodded. "Carrie said you can touch ghosts and spirits when you're powered up. Something to do with the energy flowing through you." Penny shrugged. "I think, think mind you, that she tapped into it. She used it to let both of you phase through Sara and pull Jealousy out of her. Then she used it to cast the banish spell we used before."

Gumball wasn't quite sure he understood, but something else was bothering him. "What do you mean I missed a show? None of that was really a show."

"Oh yeah! Well I think it was when she tapped into your energy, but when she hugged you, she sprouted glowing blue wings. Or maybe they were energy jets, but they looked like wings." Penny said as she placed bacon in the pan. "Anyway it must have really taken it out of you two, 'cause you've both been out for almost a whole day. It is almost sunset."

Satisfied that the people important to him were safe, Gumball tried recapture the mood he'd had but he couldn't. The thought he'd had before that this whole mess was his fault nagged at him. He sighed. He was wondering again if his new feelings for Carrie had been the cause for her abduction when Penny's voice cut through his ruminations.

"Why don't you talk it out? I do that sometimes when I'm having a problem with something." She said thoughtfully before looking pointedly at him. "Come on. Spill."

Gumball heaved another sigh. "I guess… I was trying to figure out something about the dream."

Penny nodded. "I noticed our versions were almost the same. But yours started when J-Sarah came into the shack. Was there anything before that?"

Gumball shook his head. "No. It was like I was seeing things from Jealousy's perspective. I didn't even get the view of outside the shed." Gumball brought his fist down on the counter. "It's almost like he was taunting me. Or, even worse, he may not have tried to show me at all. Since he was originally my jealousy gone out of control, we may have some connection." Gumball took a deep breath and steeled himself for the reveal. "That means that the danger you, Carrie and Rachel faced is all my fault."

The pain of that admission left him unable to continue, the lump of guilt in his throat halting his words and blurring his vision. Penny came over to stand in front of him but he avoided her eyes and the condemnation he expected to find there.

"Gumball," Penny said softly, "Trust me when I tell you that no one blames you." He felt her arms encircle him and she continued. "I can't deny that you made that thing. But I can't place responsibility for its action at your feet and neither should you. Sitting here and worrying about it won't solve the problem either, so let it go." Gumball could hear a touch of humor in her voice as she released him and added, "Given what you can do with anger and jealousy, I'd hate to see what you do with guilt."

The thought provoked an image of a dark grey cloud whining comically fast and Gumball smiled despite himself. He sat up, squared his shoulders and gave a big sniff to clear his nose. "Gross!" Penny told him with a playful shove. Gumball smiled.

"Thanks, Penny."

Penny shrugged, "What else are friends for?… What is that smell?" She scrunched up her face at the acrid smoky odor.

Gumball sniffed lightly. "Burning bacon." he said simply. They kept looking at each other for a minute before it dawned on them. "The bacon!" they exclaimed, eyes wide. Penny scramble to get the charred strips out of the pan.

Gumball's stomach growled loudly and Penny cut her eyes at him, but he noted she didn't bother to say I-told-you-so. She paused and asked, "How many eggs do you want? And it's over easy, right?"

"3, please and yes." Gumball answered. Silence descended for a few minutes. Gumball was just starting to wonder if he should say something when Penny spoke up.

"Tell me more about that polygamy thing." She said.

Gumball stared over at her. She seemed completely unconcerned, but he had lived with his mother long enough to know it could be a trap, so he answered carefully. "Well, it was polyamory… you know amor? It means 'love' in like 10 languages or something, and then poly means many, so it's literally 'many loves'."

Penny raised an eyebrow at him. "You seem to know an awful lot about it… why is that?" She questioned and Gumball swallowed. He did not like how this was developing but didn't think he could get out of answering either.

"Well, when Sarah brought it up, Darwin wanted to know why we couldn't. I thought she was talking about polygamy at the time and I know that is illegal." Gumball smirked. "Technically he won that argument – there is no law stating that you can't be romantically involved with more than one person."

Penny seemed satisfied and Gumball relaxed, too soon he realized. "Why did the thought of it bother you so much?"

Gumball sat thoughtful for a moment. The development in his feelings for Carrie had him considering the idea differently than he'd expressed. The idea of being both girls was thoroughly appealing and Gumball hated himself for even considering it. It didn't seem right, but neither did trying to compare the two girls as though he could simply point at one and say 'Ok, I'll take her.' He struggle to find an answer he thought she might accept, that would be true.

"When I was younger, I thought it was selfish and ultimately immoral." Gumball spoke slowly, considering his words carefully. "As I learned more about it, I rejected it. Now, honestly, I don't know." Gumball shrugged. "I just don't know in what circumstance it could work, you know?"

Penny placed a plate heaping with food in front of him. "What if Carrie wanted to be with you?"

Now Gumball was on full alert. Terrified that Penny had somehow guessed at his new affections for Carrie, he stuffed a sausage in his mouth to stall. Swallowing, he managed, "What do you mean? Carrie is just a friend."

Penny shrugged. "Hypothetically, let's say Carrie liked you and you liked her and me. You already know I like you. Would you consider it?" She asked the question as if it were totally innocent, but Gumball knew better. She was fishing for information, so he gave the answer he thought would satisfy her.

"Well, I think it might cross my mind, but, in the end, I don't think it would be fair to either of you and I think it would ultimately fail. So, no, I wouldn't consider it, or at least I wouldn't consider it past that." Gumball said, hoping the answer satisfied her.

Penny looked thoughtful for a moment and kissed him on the cheek. "That is exactly the kind of answer I expected, but it's still nice to hear it." Penny said before she got up. "You eat up, I need to head home for a bit. I need a shower to let my parents know I'm ok. See you!" She waved before she slipped out the door.

Gumball stared after her, feeling bewildered and a little guilty. When she had asked the question, an image of the three of them, living together and enjoying one another's company as they had all week, had made his heart leap, but he believed what he'd said. If romance were involved, it wouldn't be fair, and just couldn't work… could it?

Penny stormed into her room and slammed the door. She had explained everything to her father, and he had grounded her for lying and doing "who knows what else with that boyfriend of hers". She was furious that he didn't believe her. Her anger pulsed hot in her veins before she knew it, she had already changed into a hulking red beast and accidentally crushed the chair she meant to use in her oversized grip.

Penny sighed and took a deep breath. She used an exercise she had developed to gain control of her emotion. She imagined a flame, and slowly allowed it to occupy all her focus. Everything else dropped away and she was able to regain control of her form.

Back in her usually form, she took the crushed remains of the chair to her window and dropped it into the dumpster waiting below her window. Opening her closet, she pulled out one of the spares and sat down at her desk. She needed to think and she always found writing her thoughts out to be the best way to organize them.

First, she tackled the biggest thing on her mind – her father not believing her. Why? she wrote. As she examined the key points of the story, she had to admit that any sane parent would reject such a tale. She felt he was a little insulting with his insinuation about Gumball, but given the intensity of her passion lately, she had to concede it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. She resolved to get Mrs. Watterson to corroborate her story and at least ease her father's fears concerning her chastity.

Next on her list was Gumball. She had made significant progress over the last week and felt that she could confidently drop by for a visit without ending up embarrassing herself. She wrote down a note that binding her wings locked her into a particular form. She would experiment with that later. It could be useful in a pinch, but she didn't want to rely on it. She was determined to develop full control over her ability and the binding felt like cheating.

Now she arrived at the final thought she needed to confront. It had been nagging her doggedly since it had occurred to her and she had tried repeatedly to bury it. Now, alone in her room, she allowed it to take form. I want a way for all three of us to be happy, together. She put her head in her hands and groaned. Ever since Carrie broke down in front of her, she had been feeling anguish over the issue. It had been even worse ever since that dream.

Experiencing Carrie's position had left a deep impression on her. She vividly recalled the despair Carrie had felt about Gumball ever feeling anything for her beyond friendship and the fear that Penny would feel betrayed by emotion beyond her control. Penny had been at a loss. She simply couldn't see any way to ease her pain, let alone help her… until Gumball had mentioned that.

Then, she couldn't get it out of her head. It seemed like the perfect solution. Why couldn't she and Carrie both have him? At first, she couldn't see anything to stop them, but obstacles had slowly presented themselves. Lifting her face from her hands, she began to write.

On her paper, she wrote Carrie, Gumball and her own name in a triangle. She added a heart and a two directional arrow between her Gumball. She soon had a heart and arrow drawn from Carrie to Gumball, a question mark with an arrow pointing from Gumball to Carrie and a heart with a question mark in the center with arrows pointing to each of them. Finally she added a big question mark between her and Carrie.

She considered her sketch and the obstacles it represented. First, she had to talk to Carrie. Well, that wasn't so much an obstacle as a requirement. They were eventually going to have to sit down and talk about Carrie's feelings regardless of this new possibility. She couldn't know how she might react to such a proposition just yet, so she would need to proceed carefully.

Next was the question mark of Gumball's affection for Carrie. He obviously considered her a friend, but could those affections be turned to deeper intimacy? She thought it was possible, if she and Carrie worked together. Recalling her conversation with Gumball, she made a note that they would have to overcome Gumball's preconceptions against the idea, as well.

She frowned now, think about that conversation. Gumball's final answer was as troubling as it was sweet. His consideration for her and Carrie's feelings was sweet. In fact, it was his unselfish consideration that she felt would be required make this possible, but he had raised another valid concern.

The question mark heart glared at her from the center of her triangle. The final major obstacle and the one she had no idea how to tackle. Assuming she could, in fact, get Carrie on board, and they could alter his affection for Carrie, how would they handle the addition of romance to the comfortable companionship they had so easily achieved? More importantly how would she or Carrie handle those more intimate displays of affection that would inevitably arise?

Penny sighed and looked hard at herself in the mirror. Was she honestly considering this? The idea was so alien to everything she knew. The time she, Gumball and Carrie had spent together over the last week had been the best she'd had, but the obstacles she would have to overcome were daunting…

Penny stood and ripped the page from her book. She folded it up and stuck it between her teeth as she lifted a board in the floor of her room. She couldn't afford her nosy little sister, or her dad accidentally finding this. She tucked it safely away next to a shard of her shell and a couple other sentimental items then she replaced the board.

She wasn't sure if she create the future she'd envisioned where she, Gumball and Carrie could be truly happy, but it was something she was willing to try for. She determined call Carrie the next day and ease her fears concerning Penny's friendship, but she decided to bring up the idea of a polyamorous relationship slowly, a little at a time. With any luck, it would appeal to her in the same way, and she might even have an answer for that final, question marked heart.

First things first though, she needed to call Mrs. Watterson and have her confirm their tale.

Carrie slept soundly on a foldout bed, oblivious to the entity staring hungrily at her serene face. Aretha Krueger, watched her daughter sleep, fighting the urge to feed. Her thoughts were disjointed, as if various voices clamored for attention inside her head.

She used a little energy to tap into her dreams.

Carrie finished setting the table and called her family.

"Honey, kids! Dinner's ready!"

The back porch rumbled with a single set of foot prints and a quick CRACK! CRACK! resounded as a blue haired little ghost girl and a pale haired, older ghost boy teleported into the dining room. The boy flipped his pale bangs in a familiar way, and quipped, "Beat ya, Dad!" as his father came in carrying a giggling baby girl in his striped arm.

Gumball chuckled. "I suppose you did, but did you wash up?"

Sheepishly, the two children glanced at one another before shaking their heads. Gumball handed the baby to Carrie. He reached out and ruffled the two children's hair as stripes covered the rest of his body. The children's eyes lit up but Carrie rolled her eyes. "Gumball, what are you doing?"

Gumball shrugged. "What? I'm just priming my appetite." He managed an innocent look before he looked back at his children. "Ready? Three, two, one, Go!" his children flew off up threw the floor to the bathroom upstairs, while Gumball crossed his arm and slowly began to count to ten, giving them his customary head start.

A shadow moved on the wall and Carrie was suddenly wary. Noticing the change in her, Gumball was on alert…

Aretha was back in reality. She had almost been discovered just then, but it seemed she had come at an opportune time to carry out her plan. She salivated at the thought of finally satisfying this terrible hunger. As her daughter stirred, she flew out of the house.

She would find this Gumball and make her daughters dream a reality… sort of. The voices in her head fell silent at the triumphant insane laughter that burst from her as she flew off into the night.

Ok, so we have finished the Jealousy arc (for now) and are moving on. Can Penny overcome the obstacles to such an unorthodox vision of happiness? How will Carrie respond? Can Gumball come to terms with his own emotions? And what exactly does Carrie's mother have planned? More questions to explore as the story continues.

P.S. If I have infringed on anyone's OC please let me know. I avoided lengthy descriptions and names just in case, but if anyone feels I have please let me know so I can either credit you or rewrite. Just so you know, I thought up this myself without outside influence, based on my own family situation.